'Why isn't father's name in here?'

As Madelyn flipped through the pages, the diary's tone shifted. It started out cheerful but soon turned somber, leaving her feeling heavy-hearted. The diary mostly recounted events from Silverbrook.

Growing up, her mother had been the cherished daughter of a wealthy family. Her grandfather led a major business group, while her father was his right-hand man. The family was quite well-known in their town. Agustin was an orphan boy that her great-grandfather had rescued from a battlefield. He joined the Wood family when he was six. Growing up, Madelyn's mother, being a few years older, taught him to read and write. The two shared a bond tighter than most friends. It seemed her great-grandfather had hopes of Agustin marrying her mother to make him an official Wood. However, some diary entries were illegible, leaving Madelyn with lingering questions.

At sixteen, her mother met the well-known military leader, Erick Blinken. By twenty-six, Erick was a res